Navy Yard played role in War of 1812, Lincoln assassination

WASHINGTON — From its earliest years as a shipbuilding facility, the Navy Yard, scene of the deadly shootings in Washington on Monday, has a rich history.

About a mile from the Capitol, the Washington Navy Yard sits on land along the Anacostia River that George Washington set aside for federal use.

The 65-acre facility, bordered by brick walls, is in an urban area that in recent years has undergone a renewal fueled in large part by the construction a few blocks away of Nationals Park, the baseball stadium that is home to the Washington Nationals. On Monday, the ballpark served as a gathering site for workers evacuated from the site.

Authorized in 1799, the Navy Yard became the Navy’s largest shipbuilding and shiplifting facility, according to the Naval District Washington’s website. It later served as a weapons plant.

The Navy Yard was considered an important defense for the city during the War of 1812. But when the British marched into Washington, commanders decided the shipyard could not be defended and ordered it burned to prevent its capture by the enemy.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln frequently visited the Navy Yard, which played an important role in the defense of the capital.

When Lincoln was assassinated, the eight conspirators accused of plotting his death were brought to the yard and held on vessels anchored on the Anacostia River before their trials. The body of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth was examined and identified on a ship moored at the yard.

After the Civil War, the Navy Yard was designated the manufacturing center for all ordnance for the Navy and also was the scene of scientific developments.

The gears for the Panama Canal locks were cast at the shipyard. Navy Yard technicians also have worked there on designs for prosthetic hands and molds for artificial eyes and teeth.

Over the years, the shipyard also has served as the site of ceremonial events. The first Japanese diplomatic mission was welcomed to the U.S. at the yard in 1860. Charles A. Lindbergh returned there after his famous transatlantic flight in 1927.

Today, the Navy Yard is the headquarters for the Naval Sea Systems Command, which builds, buys and maintains ships, submarines and combat systems, and is the workplace for about 3,000 people. It’s also the home of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy and several commands. The Navy’s top admiral, Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert, lives at the yard and was safely evacuated.